CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Despite 27 points from Jamaal Trice, Appalachian State University men's basketball shot just 26.1 percent from the field and dropped a 67-47 decision to East Carolina in front of 3,719 on Tuesday evening at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Trice became Appalachian's (2-2) first 20-point scorer of the season on 8-of-14 shooting. However, the rest of the Mountaineers made just 6-of-30 shots (20 percent) in the loss.

Appalachian missed its first four shots and turned the ball over four times before getting on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, ECU (3-1) jumped out to an early 8-0 lead four minutes into the contest.

A layup from point guard G.J. Vilarino and free throw from Charlotte native Omar Carter pulled the Mountaineers back within four points towards the end of the first half. Just as the Apps closed the gap, ECU responded with back-to-back threes to bump the lead back to double figures and secure a 30-17 halftime advantage.

Carter added five rebounds and two of ASU's eight steals while Vilarino notched four rebounds and an assist in his Mountaineer debut.

The Mountaineers gathered momentum in the second half and found a rhythm to shoot 45.5 percent on three-pointers in the period and force 10 East Carolina turnovers.

Trice led the barrage with 5-of-8 treys on the night, but only Rodney Milum also found the bottom of the net from beyond the arc in the contest as ASU shot 6-of-19 from downtown.

Milum was ASU's second-leading scorer with seven points, while Carter and Isaac Butts chipped in four each.

Andre Williamson led ASU with six of the team's 30 rebounds, as the Apps were outrebounded for just the second time this season, 34-30. ASU scored five second-chance points off of 11 offensive boards.

Guard Miguel Paul led ECU with 19 points including a 9-of-9 mark at the free-throw line. He dished out five of his team's 13 assists and grabbed five boards. Darrius Morrow also reached double figures with 15 points.

ECU shot 49 percent from the field, including a 7-of-12 mark from downtown. The Pirates sank 12-of-16 free throws while ASU struggled at the stripe, making just 13-of-25.

ASU returns to the Holmes Center on Saturday to host Milligan at 2 p.m.